From a need standpoint, the Jets obtaining DeSean Jackson would have made a lot more sense than acquiring Chris Johnson. It will infuriate me to overpay now to grab CJ but I don’t expect the Jets to do so. Some other team will spend too much for him anyway. Despite the fact that the RB market has been nonexistent with the new “dime a dozen” way of thinking about the position this offseason.

I’ll take Johnson on the cheap. Why not? Depth is a major component to winning and his style would be a nice fit for Marty Mornhinweg and to the backfield already in place. There will be no “bidding war” for him on Lord Idzik’s part though. You can guarantee that.

Well, almost guarantee that. These are the Jets mind you. Just when you think you have this labyrinth figured out. Let’s just say the odds are that CJ comes to the Jets for a fair price or he lands elsewhere. It’s the new Florham Park way.

Now Is Not The Time To Judge. Yet.

Speaking of Idzik, as frustrating as it has been for many green blooded diehards this buying season, now is not the time to judge the Jets GM. Yet. I know. You don’t have to tell me. What about cornerback? What about not even trying to grab an All-Pro receiver who suddenly popped up on the market?

Let this be a friendly reminder from a guy who loves DeSean Jackson as a player, and daydreamed about the Jets reuniting with Darrelle Revis. This club is about to vastly change. The amount of leverage of flexibility that Gang Green will have in this NFL draft should bring the Jets a large amount of what they covet position wise. Don’t storm the castle yet folks.

There may be a time for putting the current stand still March and April months on trial, but now is not that time. It’s too early. Reserve judgement. Let’s see what this roster looks like a little over a month from now. Forget free agency. It’s not happening there. Idzik and his scouting department are locked and loaded and ready to build long term. They have the ammunition for May. Now let’s just hope they know what to aim for.

It All Comes Down To The Quarterback

The more I watch UConn waltz through the NCAA men’s basketball tournament the more apparent it is. No matter what sport, every winning team needs the floor general. The leader. The guy who can make a play when it’s needed. The guy who can change tempo, control tempo, and reel the club in when the plane starts flying off course.

The Huskies star point guard Shabazz Napier is always under control. Always ready to deliver a big assist, a difficult shot, or a ball fake to move some half court trap out of place before swinging a pass that breaks a trap in half. It’s as if he already knows what the opponent is up to and has a plan for how to derail them. Every time. He is the calm demeanor of the entire team on the floor. Their lack of panic starts with him. The Jets need Geno Smith to be that guy.

It can’t be Mo Wilkerson. Or Sheldon Richardson. It can’t be Demario Davis. Or Nick Mangold. Or anyone the Jets draft in May. It has to be Smith. Otherwise this long term foundation will take a lot longer to cement.

Quick Hits

– Jacoby Ford is now a Jet. I’m all for upgrading special teams and the back end of the receiving corps but was sorry to see Josh Cribbs get hurt last year. He made some nice plays in his limited time here and has always been a player whom I enjoy watching. Cribbs plays with passion and thinks touchdown on every play. My kind of guy.

– Call it the Six Degrees of Richard Todd. The Daniel Murphy “paternal leave” drama in the papers last week had to of course involve the Jets. This time the link being former QB turned WFAN radio host Boomer Esiason. I have no view on the Murphy stuff but have to admit that every time I see Boomer’s name in the Post or the News, I still see Bruce Smith punishing the guy into submission. God, Boomer used to get beat up in Orchard Park. Ouch.

– So the cops and firemen went old time hockey and had a bench clearing brawl in a charity hockey game at the Garden I see. Old time hockey. Like a scene out of Paul Newman’s “Slapshot.” How refreshing.

I own a bunch of old school NFL broadcasts on DVD. I have one of the Steelers Raiders 1976 AFC Championship game if you want to talk about old time football. Ken Stabler getting hit out of of bounds after the whistle. George Atkinson and Jack Tatum headhunting Lynn Swan. Bradshaw constantly knocked down way after the release. Goodness gracious was it tough and mean on the gridiron back then.

Beyond the violence though, was the intensity and care that the teams played with. The will to win. That’s what the NFL has to fight to protect when guys like Mark Cuban bring up the idea of over saturation.

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Patience is something that is in short supply with Jet fans. Idzik has adopted the correct approach, only time will tell if he can implement it successfully. Results are never guaranteed but if you use a time tested proven methodology your chances of succeeding greatly improve.

Dom Massaro

I am all for what Idzik is doing. I believe he is taking the 100% correct approach. Obviously, there is one factor that will make him look either brilliant or clueless, and that is the ability of himself and his staff to evaluate this talents draft. With the number of draft picks we hold, we can move up, move down, or stay put, and grab numerous starting caliber talents in this draft. We can do just about anything we want to. It is all going to depend upon whether or not the players selected are able to make an impact on this team. I like that we are building for the future. I want long term success, not one great run to fall a little short and then 3 to 4 mediocre seasons to follow before we can get out of some bad contracts and load up and try again.
Now,with that said, of course I love Rex Ryan and I want him to coach here this season and the next, playoffs or not. If we only win 4 games, alright, I can’t blame Woodzik for moving in another direction, but I believe that Ryan is a very good coach and with a tough schedule this season and, still, not the best roster, I can easily foresee this teams struggles. That’s what scares me, and that’s where it gets tricky, and that’s why I am not qualified to be a GM and make the decisions that will determine that from now with FA and the Draft, up until January of 2015.
Basically, to sum it up, I want Rex Ryan to be the coach, but I also want Idzik to do exactly what he is doing and build for the long term, in hopes he will draft the right players. Its just that without 2014 success, I can see Woody parting ways with Rex. I hope he doesn’t.

http://gravatar.com/theelidman Lidman

I meant to post this comment here (I errantly repsonded to the prior post).

Just to stir it up a little bit…can someone explain to me why the NYJ couldn’t have offered Revis the same contract as NE did? Granted, I have ZERO knowledge that Revis would have accepted that from the NYJ. But, if I assume that the reports he wanted to come back were true (and let’s all make that assumption for this..again it’s just for fun), then from a football perspective, and a forward cap perspective, how would this not have been a good move for this year’s team? I fully support Idzik’s commitment to the draft and building depth. However, as a former season ticket holder, I also want the club to do all they can to put the best product on the field at all times. So, while they raised ticket prices, why not bring in a player, who makes your defense significantly better, and doesn’t require anything more than a 1yr commitment that is ‘well within’ your budget?

I’m not an Idzik hater, or FA free spender. I’m just a paying customer who is wondering….

It’s a QB centric league. To that extent you have to have a bit of luck, ala Indy. Sure, there are exceptions, but to ‘consistently contend’ you need a good QB, because eventually that position sucks up a big portion of your cap. It will be interesting to see how Baltimore does over the next few years. Similarly, once Kaep needs to get paid, let’s see how SF does, Wilson/Sea and even Luck/Indy.

jf203

For the guy that wanted Revis…THAT SHIPPED HAS SAILED..CANT GO BACK HOME BRO..EVEN IF iDZIK WANTED HIM WHICH HE PROBABLY DIDNT EVEN FOR HIS PRICE…woody WOULD never ALLOW HIM TO COM BACK FOR THE WAY HE ABUSED THE jETS AND HELD OUT AND WAS A VERY me PLAYER……ITS LIKE GOING BACK TO AN EX GIRLFRIEND AFTER SHE CHEATS

David

I understand Idzik’s approach, but I also believe he is betting a bit too much on the draft. Even with 12 draft picks, at the very most one is “hoping” for 2, possible 3 starters out of that and some of the late rounders won’t even make the team.

Plus, I also believe and you can see it in FA this year, if you structure contracts the proper way you can get out of a deal rather well after the 2nd year and in some cases, you can get out after the 1st. For example, look at Austin Howard; he has ZERO guaranteed money after the first year of the contract.

Frank Antonelli

The Raiders deal with Austin Howard shows what a dysfunctional organization they are. Check this out:

“According to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Raiders signed free agent offensive lineman Austin Howard to play guard, not tackle. Turns out there was a twist. #Raiders signed Austin Howard to play guard and not right tackle, & are hoping/expecting Watson starts at RT”

Great. They sign him and now move him to Guard! Only the Raiders are this stupid. Yes they can get out of the deal next March but who cares. If they cut him they obviously misplayed the whole situation and if they keep him they are stuck with his contract. You just can’t make this kind of stuff up!

Jay

I am a current season ticket holder & I like what Idzik is doing. He plugged some holes in free agency, but has 12 draft picks to shape the team. The Jets are not at the point where free agency will make the difference. They need a good draft. I’ll wait & judge over a longer term.

tycobb1981

Jets got 4 starters out of the draft last year, not that hard to imagine 2-3 solid contributors or even starters, minimum, from this years much deeper draft class

http://gravatar.com/theelidman Lidman

Tycoob…I hope you’re right. December certainly showed an uptick for Milliner and Winters, but there is still a lot to prove for the both of them. Bohanon was a bad player last year, so using him to support Idzik, starter or not, isn’t a good example.

Frank,

At some point teams have to get better. You say give Idzik a chance, why can’t the same be said about Mackenzie? All he’s done this year, is used his cash/cap to try and improve the product on the field this year, at basically no cost to the future. Who cares where Howard plays, as long as he’s effective. If Breno is the second coming of Wayne Hunter, will it matter that he is ‘nasty’ and was a better deal? It’s all about winning football games.

Lidman

FRank,

Clarifying the first statement. I meant, if bad teams are going to get better, it has to start somewhere (poorly worded above). The Patriots stunk, the Packers stunk, the 9ers stunk, the Giants stunk. So, while you cite Idzik’s approach being right, even if he ultimately winds up unsuccessful as a GM, I think before you can judge Mackenzie, you have to give him time to implement his plan.

LeeBur

I just have a problem signing so many older guys like the raiders did. Sure the contracts are structured so they can bail after 1 year, but if they did cut those guys its 1 more year of lack of continuity.

http://gravatar.com/theelidman Lidman

Lee Bur,

How much worse can they be. They, like the NYJ, are building through the draft. You can’t just sit on your cash, because ultimately you wind up having to pay for it. Has Mackenzie put a SB contender together? No, probably not. But, he has brought in guys like Tuck and Woodley, who’ve been on championship teams, who can be an influence on his young players and his draft picks.

LeeBur

Very true regarding being a good influence. But like you said they arent a SB contender, so I would rather play younger guys and give them 2 years to develop instead of playing an ageing veteran for 1 year (because they got cut) and then a younger player or another veteran the next season.

JetEngine1

I like the way Idzik is filling out tyhe roster, stockpiling picks, and getting the cap right. Next years Free Agency period will be the time to bring in a couple of vet studs to round out and finalize the roster – provided Geno pans out….

David

Tycobb, you say the Jets got 4 starters; how many of those are realistic ones? The only draft pick the Jets got anything of real value from last year is Sheldon Richardson. That would be like me saying, “well the 2009 draft was great because we got a starting QB (Sanchez) starting RB (Greene), and a starting LG (Slauson).” How many of those 3 are still on the team?

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